When the air quality in Singapore is poor, we are advised to avoid exerting ourselves outside and to stay indoors whenever possible. When it gets really bad, the recommendation becomes even more severe for the elderly, infants and other at-risk people. They are advised not to venture out at all!
But did you know that bad air quality in your home can be even more dangerous than bad air quality outdoors?
It seems impossible, right? Outside you have cars, buses, motorcycles, even industrial plants not to mention the annual haze that descends on Singapore like a suffocating blanket! Compared to some dust floating around inside your house, how is it possible that indoor air quality can pose a greater risk?
Think about how much time you and your family spend indoors versus outdoors. Most families with very young children spend the vast majority of their time indoors, due in part to Singapore’s hot and humid climate. Even older kids and adults who are not in the house as often spend much of their time away from home at school and work!
The result? Indoor air pollution is the leading causes of illness or early death in Southeast Asia1.
What causes dangerous indoor air quality?
There are dozens of factors that can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Some sources of indoor air pollution are the culprits you would expect including people smoking indoors, outside chemicals such as pesticides being brought into the house and aerosol sprays. Exposure to these pollutants and other airborne particles can trigger allergies in young children.
One of the lesser known factors is third-hand smoke. Of course we have known for a long time about the dangers associated with smoking and secondhand smoke. Third hand smoke occurs when residual nicotine remains on a smoker’s clothes. These interact with the environment of the home getting absorbed into soft surfaces.
These and other factors are exacerbated if your home suffers from inadequate ventilation. When not enough outdoor air is being circulated through a building, the pollutants in the indoor air will accumulate to dangerous levels.
So, how can you protect your family?
The best way to monitor against polluted air is to be watchful of your family members. If you notice that your children are suffering from frequent respiratory problems including coughing or asthma, you should speak to your family doctor about concerns regarding the air quality in your room.
The best way to be vigilant against bad indoor air quality is by using air filters on your aircon units which reduce the amount of pollutants in the air so that your family benefits from cleaner air.
The 3M Filtrete™ Electrostatic Air Conditioner Filter uses 3 in 1 technology that can capture PM2.5 + PM10 microparticles such as smog, exhaust, smoke and household dust. By trapping 7x more large particles and 25x more microparticles than an ordinary screen, these easy to use and affordable electrostatic filters will help you rest knowing you have cleaner air in your home.
For best results, filters should be changed every one to three months. Click here to learn more about 3M Filtrete™ Electrostatic Air Conditioner Filters and make every breath count.
Source:
1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5089137/